Re-opening checklist for salons

Re-opening checklist for salons

One day we will re-open. Here is a re-opening checklist for salons. Here is what we know for certain:

Hair keeps growing and our clients will need us.

This unprecedented situation is ever-changing, and we need to stay flexible (when possible).

A positive outlook is a must.

There will be clients that have colored or cut their own hair – let’s be kind about it.

We know this is a long/huge list! Take it line by line. Print it out. Use a highlighter. Drink a glass of wine.
We are here with you and for you!

Re-opening checklists:Now – for your staff!

Stay connected with your staff. Go ahead and have the conversations about the possible changes when the salon re-opens. Hopefully you will have so many clients wanting to get in that you’ll need to adjust your days and/or hours you’ll be open. Thoughts:

Do you need to open on Mondays and/or Sundays?

Will you need to open earlier or stay later, or both?

Will you be social distancing (whether voluntary or mandated)?

How many hairdressers can work at one time in your space if so?

How many clients can be seen?

What would it look like to shift your teams?

If shifting teams – can you organize it so that no-one is on both teams, just in case a team member gets sick and you’ll have to quarantine?

Connect with staff about any new or highly prioritized sanitation policies. Whether voluntary or mandated. Consumer confidence will be really important during this time, and it will be vital that clients see us sanitizing. Thoughts:

More frequent sanitation of restrooms.

Sanitize entryway doors into salon.

Sanitize chairs in-between customers.

One-time use of gloves.

Sanitize brushes and combs in-between customers.

Removal or higher sanitation of self-service tools.

Washing all capes in-between customers.

Washing all smocks in-between customers.

Sanitation of clips in-between customer.

No handshakes. No hugs. No high-fives. For now.

Only clients allowed at this time (no guests, spouses, clients, etc. that are not receiving services in order to maintain social distancing)

Offering them to clients (for sale or free) to use while they are in the salon.

Now – for your Clients!

Stay active. Stay connected. Get attention. There is good reason to believe that there may be a client-shake-up when we are allowed to re-open. Please stay top-of-mind with your clients right now. Post how-to videos, use Facebook, Instagram, email, curbside pickup, whatever you safely can do in order to stay in the minds of your customers!

Now is an amazing time to cross-promote re-opening with other businesses!! Contact the business owners via phone or email – get creative – get promoting!

2 weeks prior – for the salon

Inventory. Count everything!! This is the perfect time to get a perfect track of all inventory. Run Sales Ranking Reports!! Order large amounts of all top sellers!! Order meek on bottom sellers, but still order. Prepare to capture every profit opportunity. Must have all retail ready for clients to consume!

You may place a pre-order with Cool Beauty. This will guarantee that the stock is held for you! This pre-order can ship whenever you are ready. (Please note: any additions to the pre-order will be a separate invoice – these orders will be pre-packaged and ready to ship on demand!)

Think about what happened with toilet paper at the beginning of this. Developers, levels 5-7, hairspray are our industries must-haves. Secure your inventory. Get it shipped out to you and ready to use! Please note: there could be a delay in Fedex ground deliveries as demand increases – give yourself a little extra time.

Pre-clean. Declutter. Clean out drawers and such. You will need to do another deep clean right before you reopen.

2 weeks prior – for clients

Tune up that preliminary schedule that you made for your staff. Begin calling customers to adjust appointments. Hopefully we will have enough warning to do this at 2-weeks prior (probably not).

1 week prior

For real, hopefully at this point we will know a re-opening date! This is when we get really serious about client appointments. Call everyone. Double, triple, quadruple confirm by whatever methods you have available: email, text, phone call. DO IT ALL!!

Have your dialogue written out on how to explain to customers the new sanitation protocols that your salon is instituting. I would highly recommend emailing this out to your entire customer base now and make social media posts about it. Remember, there are two sides to this sanitation situation:

Protecting your staff and clients

Consumer confidence – do clients feel safe in your business?

Service menu adjustments. We will be coming back to longer new growths, at home color touch ups, more outgrowth, etc. It may not be an every-day kind of day at the salon for a while. Here are things to think about:

Will you need longer application times?

Should you charge more for color costs? (probably yes – you will be using a lot more product)

Clients that normally receive a partial – will this be enough – do they need a full highlight? What is the dialogue to explain this? Have it written and make sure your team prepared. Have the appointment scheduled properly.

Will clients want to leave your salon quicker? Maybe opt for color only to keep social contact at a distance? How will this affect your scheduling – is this something you are willing to accommodate? (BTW: I highly recommend charging full price for everything!! No discounting if a client requests to leave wet or skip the blow-out.

2-3 days prior – for the salon.

Clean EVERYTHING! Clients and staff both need to feel comfortable in the salon. Perception is key! If you have dust bunnies under the cabinet in the corner – the assumption can be made that your salon isn’t clean. We are going to need to run our business in a we-can-eat-off-the-floor-it’s-so-clean mentality for the foreseeable future.

If you haven’t yet – you need to make sure you have received all shipments:

Stocked color supplies

Stocked retail shelves

Stocked on barbicide, alcohol, cleaners

Stocked on gloves

Stocked on cloth face covers

Extra brushes and combs

Fine comb that book – your phone will be ringing off the hook. If you can’t accommodate your customer at this time, they WILL be calling another salon. Re-look at opening longer shifts and opening additional days on the book to accommodate customers. Be careful of squeezing people in. Longer time in-between hair maintenance means it may take hairdressers longer to color, cut, or highlight a client, and we will not want a lobby full of people waiting (it is frustrating for clients and breaks social distancing rules).

2-3 days before – staff and customers

Refresh and remind your team about all sanitation procedures. Send out an additional communication to all clients announcing that you are re-opening and include your sanitation protocols.

YOU ARE VALUABLE! YOU ARE IMPORTANT! YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE HAIRDRESSER!!

Get strategic with retail sales right now – it will pump the much-needed cash into your business!!

Buy 2 get 1 50% off

Purchase $100 in retail get a $10 credit for your next visit

Encourage the use of loyalty programs

Set goals for your staff and be clear about what is needed.

FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE. Focus on hair!!

Be ready with smart answers to questions that clients ask.

Examples:

How can I help?

How have you been?

“Staying home was great. We made it through healthy and happy, how about you?”

Are you excited to be back to work?

“Staying home for a moment was great. I am happy to be here with you now. How about you, are you back at work?”

How are you staying safe while seeing all these clients?

“We are taking strong sanitation protocols very seriously. Making sure that we protect ourselves and our clients.” Explain all steps only if asked. Turn the convo right back to hair!

Are you mad at me for touching up my roots at home?

“These are unprecedented times. I would never be upset with you about this. I would like to know exactly what you used so I can formulate properly for you today.”

I cut my own hair, are you upset?

“I am not upset. I totally understand. Let’s take a look and I’ll make sure to do my best for you today!”

Did you enjoy your time off work?

“Staying home for a moment was great. I am happy to be here with you now. How about you, are you back at work?”

REMEMBER THE FOUR R’s – every client, every time.

Retail

Referral

Reschedule

Reviews

Thank you for being a part of the Cool Beauty Family! We deeply value your business.

Salons may want to look at offering seniors and those at higher risks special time slots away from regular hours. Covid-19 is not going away. Some clients will especially be nervous to come into the salon. Team members are still at risk, until they have become immune. Having all staff tested is crucial for keeping them safe and to help determine who can work and should not.